Advanced French Past Tenses

The difference between the two main French past tenses, the passé composé and the imperfect, is a constant struggle for many French students. In my lesson on passé composé vs imperfect, you learned about the fundamental differences between these two tenses. In this more advanced lesson, you will learn about the particularities of certain verbs when used in the past.

Usually imperfect

Some French verbs are nearly always used in the imperfect rather than the passé composé:

• aimer - to like, love
• croire - to believe
• espérer - to hope
• être - to be
• penser - to think
• sembler - to seem
• sentir - to feel

Verbs like these describe a state of mind or state of being. They are most often in the imperfect because verbs like "wanting" and "being" do not usually have a clear indicator of start and finish - either they last for an unspecified amount of time or they are interrupted by some other action.

   J'aimais danser quand j'étais jeune.
   I liked to dance when I was young.

   Je croyais en Dieu.
   I believed in God.

   J'espérais gagner.
   I hoped (was hoping) to win.

   J'étais heureux l'année passée.
   I was happy last year.

   Je pensais à mon frère.
   I was thinking about my brother.

   Il semblait trop parfait.
   It seemed too perfect.

   Je me sentais malade pendant toute la journée.
   I felt sick all day.


However, these verbs are used in the passé composé when there is a clear indication of the beginning or end of the action of the verb, or when it is obvious that this was a simple action that only occurred once.

   Je n'ai pas aimé le film.
   I didn't like the movie.

   Je ne t'ai pas cru quand tu as dit...
   I didn't believe you when you said...

   Hier, j'ai espéré que tu viendrais ; aujourd'hui, ça m'est égal.
   Yesterday I hoped you would come; today I don't care.

   Quand je l'ai vu, j'ai été surpris.
   When I saw him, I was surprised (just at that moment).

   J'ai pensé à une bonne histoire.
   I thought of a good story.

   Il a semblé disparaître.
   He seemed to disappear (all of a sudden).

   J'ai senti une goutte de pluie.
   I felt a drop of rain.


Go on to page two for verbs with different meanings depending on the tense they are used in, and a list of verbal constructions that are always in the imperfect.